JOHNNY MURTAGH closed to within six of former champion Pat Smullen in the title race thanks to a double on two-year-olds Petronius Maximum and Gemstone at the Curragh yesterday, the first two legs of a 134/1 treble for Aidan O’Brien.

Tommy Stack’s whirlwind start to the new Flat campaign continued with a 571/2-1 double at Leopardstown.